Rise from the Ashes
by muserley274
Summary: Hayley Marshall is the Queen of Werewolves, the wife of a man she cannot recognise anymore, and a part of a marital agreement she cannot escape without harming her rule. Klaus Mikaelson's sudden appearance, and the unexpected gift he burdens her with, changes her life forever. Will this Queen maintain her power and win at love as well? A Klayley fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

She swept her long brunette hair back with her fingers, exposing her long, slender neck, the diamond necklace sparkling under the lights.

She extended a hand as her chest rose with the rhythm of her nervous heartbeat.

"It's nice to meet you again" she said as her fingers touched his "Hayley Marshall" she confirmed as he carried her hand to his lips

"Oh, I remember you Ms. Marshall, and I must admit I am rather pleased to see you here tonight"

They both laughed softly as she pulled her hand back and looked up into his eyes, as her hands fixed her uncomfortably fancy dress discretely.

"We need to stop crossing paths on random occasions" he sneered "I don't even see the people I actually intend to see this often"

"I can walk away now, stop bothering you" she suggested and pulled her body away as she took a step back, but he held onto her arm softly and pulled her back with a grin

"I'm starting to think these coincidences have a subliminal meaning we should decipher" he whispered into her ear "I know I want to see more of you"

"That's a funny thing to say to a married woman" she responded with a shaky voice even though those were exactly the words she wanted to hear

"We both know that is not how a marital unison looks like" he said coldly

"Regardless…" she said and pulled away once again "I enjoy being your friend though" she added, hoping that would soften the sudden rejection

"My apologies Hayley, I don't have friends" he said with a confident grin

"Well, I don't have affairs" she said and they both laughed

Their eye contact escalated the tension between them. His eyes moved to her lips as she pulled her eyes away from his. Suddenly, the loud interruption in the hall broke them both away from their thoughts.

"Hayley" came the roar she recognized easily

"Don't go with him" he said directly as she took a step towards the noise "Hayley you don't have to go with him"

"I have to" she whispered

"Hayley, you don't have to keep doing this if you're unhappy" he snapped

"Hayley!" they heard him yell again as a last call before things would turn ugly

"I'm sorry Klaus" she said and hurried away, leaving him behind looking after the blur of her red dress disappearing from view

One Month Ago

Hayley Marshall was the twenty-five-year-old Queen of New Orleans werewolves, born to the Royal Family, married since she was twenty for political reasons to man she believed she loved for personal reasons. They were betrothed while they were toddlers, brought up knowing nothing else apart from their destiny to marry one-another. To Hayley at the young age of twenty this seemed like a dream come true: marrying her childhood love, becoming a Queen, earning her parents' and family's respect. However, things took a sour turn when she lost her parents a few months after the wedding, and without the guidance of her parents and with the pressure of politics on her shoulders, Hayley's fairytale romance eventually began to crumble. The cracks revealed the buried down darkness she did not foresee, every challenge brought out a different man than the one she thought she had married. At the young age of twenty-five Hayley Marshall was an unhappy woman, bound to a marriage she could not escape.

"I told you I don't like the smell of cigarettes inside the house" she snapped as she grabbed his from him and dropped it in his drink "You can at least try to respect some of my requests"

"You know when you hear older people talk about their wives and describe how they nag and nag and nag?" he asked as he sat up "I really thought I would never have to live that, but you're just like the, you're worse actually"

"Whatever" she sighed and stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her make up as she prepared to leave the house

"You do look stunning" he said as he stood up and approached her, placing a hand on her leg as he pushed against her from behind

"Jackson, please" she said as she shook him off "We haven't slept together in almost a year, and now is when you choose to make a move?"

"You haven't been dressing like this in a year" he said as he pulled on her leather skirt as she put on her blazer

"My style shouldn't be a reason for our sexual compatibility, or lack of it" she said as she threw her bag over her shoulder "I never complained about yours"

He laughed and put his hair up in a bun "You are literally impossible to deal with"

"I'm glad you're in a good mood, but I have to run around town and deal with all the issues our community faces…especially now with the Mikaelsons arriving the werewolves seem very agitated"

"You don't seem agitated"

"I don't know them, so I don't care"

"You should care. They are problematic. Didn't your parents tell you about them? I'm sure they did"

"The Hybrid…" she whispered as she dazed off while looking into the mirror

"Now you remember" he said as he snickered and leaned on the wall beside her "You always did think he was cool"

"I was a child" she said as she began walking towards the door "I thought he had cool powers"

"That's not the moral of the story, you need to be angry about the way he uses his powers, how he disrespects the werewolf identity"

"He is a werewolf too, if anything we need to accept him into our community"

"Is this because his brother keeps running after you? Is that why you're all dressed up lately?" Jackson snapped, his cheeky mood suddenly changing

"You're doing it again" she warned as she attempted to leave, only to be blocked by her husband "Jack, please" she pleaded

"I want you now, prove to me you are mine, not that Mikaelson's"

"Jackson, you are drunk" she said angrily as she tried to walk out "You know very well I wouldn't be anyone else's. The marriage agreement was clear, for the clans to use their power at maximum efficiency we need to respect the vows"

"Is that the only thing holding you back? The stupid werewolves? Your dumb duties? You're supposed to be excited to jump on me, make love to me"

"You are the one who made me like this" she yelled as she pushed him "You are the one who keeps getting all worked up and not performing in when we actually end up in bed. Do you need better reminders Jackson? You are just as not willing to fuck as I am"

"That was once"

"It happened dozens of times, but because you keep getting drunk off your ass you don't even remember" she yelled and pushed herself out the door

The marriage was toxic, the love was dead, the relationship was unhealthy. She wanted to leave him, but she needed a reason, something strong enough to make her give up, make her put herself before her people.

She sat down at her usual meeting spot, pushing back the tears that wanted to fall. Every day was a struggle, waking up every morning was a pain she couldn't handle anymore.

"Ms. Marshall" the elegant voice of Elijah Mikaelson announced as he approached her "Its such a pleasure to meet you again"

She sighed, remembering her conversation on Elijah Mikaelson with her husband earlier that day, and stood up to greet him.

It wasn't the dark eyes she was accustomed to, however, that met hers at the moment. A pair of eyes, a shade of blue she had never seen before, looked back at her, piercing into her soul. She felt her breath stop for a second, the hair on her body stand, as he extended his hand to her, a smile forming on his face, his lips spreading across his cheeks, his ginger hair seemingly bouncing to his jolly rhythm.

"Klaus Mikaelson" he introduced himself as he pushed his hand forward, trying to end the awkward moment Hayley had created by her silence and get the handshake he desired

"Hayley-Hayley Marshall" she finally said after clearing her throat "I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you here, I assumed you hadn't arrived at New Orleans yet"

"So, you've heard of me"

"Who hasn't?"

"I wish a beautiful woman like you hadn't" he said with a smirk "I would love to make first impressions on you"

"Brother, I did mention that Ms. Marshall here is married, correct?" Elijah interrupted, seemingly territorial

"My apologies brother, I didn't realize I invited her into my bedchambers without checking her ring finger first" Klaus snapped "I am simply making conversation"

"Very well then" Hayley said, trying to change the subject and fight away the sudden heat wave that had hit her "Can we please proceed to the matter at hand then? Take a seat"

"We are here to stay Ms. Marshall, I have already made my living arrangements and have no intention of leaving" Klaus declared before any proper conversation could be made "Your wolves need not worry, I mean no harm to them, unless they cross my path, that is"

Suddenly all the previous charm he had on her lost its effect. The realization that she had been flirted with to gain an easy pass struck her. She corrected her posture, flipped her hair back and twisted her lips, sucking onto them as she breathed in.

"Mr. Mikaelson I know you are not going to harm my wolves, for that would simply be, how should I put it, idiotic of you" she said coldly, making his eyebrows jump in confusion "I do not own the town and I couldn't care less where you live, to me you are just another werewolf – and no, I don't care how you identify yourself so no need to interrupt" she added as he gestured to talk "Lastly, Mr. Mikaelson, I may not have vampire speed or medicinal blood, but I am the Queen of all New Orleans wolves, and I do not advise you to mess with me or my politics in any way, I do not forgive easily. Now, do you have any questions?"

"Did you do the binding ritual?" he asked out of the blue

"I beg your pardon?"

"Did you bind yourself to him, did you do the agreement?"

"I did yes, how does that have anything to do with –"

"He is one smart man to snatch a wife like you with such ease" he said as he took out a flask from his jacket's inner pocket "Being in a political marriage must be such a bummer"

"He didn't snatch me, and my marriage wasn't only political, I loved him" she said defensively

"I admire how you chose the past tense" he pointed out, which she hadn't noticed "Do you not love him still, perhaps?"

"My relationship with my husband is not of your concern Mr. Mikaelson"

"Please, call me Klaus"

Before she could respond aggressively to his arrogance the older Mikaelson stepped in, interrupting her

"Please do forgive my brother, he's tired after a long trip…and he's used to flirting his way out of complicated situations"

She rolled her eyes and stood up, unamused by the two overly confident brothers

"I'll have to take my leave, I have more important matters to attend to. Thank you for your time gentlemen"

"Thank you, Hayley, for your patience" Klaus said as she walked away

She couldn't help but smile to herself as she strutted away from them. He made her excited in a way she could not explain, even when he pissed her the hell off.

One Week Later

"So, you're telling me if I need a book I must come to this shop and this shop only" Klaus asked cheerfully as he followed Hayley around among the bookshelves

"You bumped into me and asked me where you can find a good book to read, I simply showed you my favorite place in town. What you do with this information is up to you"

He smiled and picked a book she recognized from one of the shelves.

"I assumed someone like you would have read 1984 by now" Hayley stated as she watched him caress the cover of the book like the skin of a woman.

"Oh, of course I have, but among all the things that 1984 is, there certainly is one thing which it isn't"

"…and that is?" Hayley questioned, hoping for an elaboration

"A one-time read, my dear Hayley" he said as he flipped through the pages "Surely you have read this more than once, I assumed someone like you would have read 1984 numerous times by now" he said, mirroring her words as a tease

"I have, yes. I like to read it as often as I can, whenever I feel like I'm going through a change in my life"

"Particularly so, because with every read, depending on where you see yourself in life, you emphasize a different aspect, a different perspective" he explained the theory further "For instance, if I read it now I'd slow down on the tenderness of their love-making, on how their innocence is so guilty, on how they defy the most complicated odds when they are together…"

"But its not true love" she said, breaking him away from his thoughts

"What do you see it as?"

"I used to think it was love"

"What do you think now about what they had?"

"They were together because they didn't have other options. They didn't really have a buffet of potential lovers to pick from. The situation they were in, the horror of it, brought them together. They were lonely even when they were together"

"As I said, it's a reflection of your current state of mind"

There it was, another one of those moments they had when they just stopped everything and looked into each other's eyes, standing still as none of them dared to interrupt the moment in any way.

"Hayley, I didn't notice you walk in" the shopkeeper said, to their disappointment, and made her look away

"Algernon, how are you? I didn't realize you were here, I thought one of the part time kids were working now"

"They had exams, had to let them go for the week" he explained "So, who is your friend?"

"Algernon, this is Klaus Mikaelson, he just moved to town and asked me to show him a good bookshop. Klaus, this is Algernon, my brother is law"

The description of Algernon made Klaus hesitate to speak for a moment, as the reality of the situation they were in struck him once again.

"I know who Klaus Mikaelson is" Algernon said coldly as he eyed Klaus from head to toe "I was hoping you'd be gone by now"

"Not am I not gone, but I'll actually be your loyal customer henceforth" Klaus said cheekily "I'm sure we'll do great business together"

"I don't need-"

"Algernon…" Hayley said coldly, and suddenly the shopkeeper stopped cold and looked at the ground instead, nodding and walking away to his cashier's desk

"Let me know if you need anything" he said and began acting busy

"They really do respect you" Klaus said, bewildered by the obedience demonstrated before him

"It takes time, and a lot of delicacy" she sighed and walked out of the shop "I'll see you around Klaus, we keep meeting one way or another anyway"

"Coffee, I insist" he called out as he hurried out after her

"Klaus…"

"I insist Ms. Marshall…my intentions are good"

She laughed to herself and nodded, following the snobby hybrid.

Three Weeks Later

"If you don't want to come to the event then don't, but don't show up half way through drunk and cause a scene either" Hayley snapped at her husband as she put her necklace on

"You know I hate these gatherings" Jackson responded as he made himself comfortable on the bed "You enjoy them, you choose to go"

"One of the royals have to be in attendance, at least" she replied coldly "You know that"

"All I know is that we are too young to have Royal duties"

"You said that the day we got married" she said and smiled to herself, the sudden memory of a happy time in her life melting her coldness, even for just a moment "I wish I could say you haven't changed, but at the time you were saying it ironically, now, not so much"

"At the time I loved you, I would make any promise and get into any crazy adventure just to be with you"

"You used the past tense" she pointed out, just like Klaus Mikaelson had pointed out to her not so long ago

He did not respond.

She grabbed the end of her long red dress and carried herself to him, sitting on the bed and leaning towards her husband, bringing herself to the closest she had been to him in months.

"What happened to us?" she asked, "We talk in past tense, we can't touch each other…do you hate me now Jackson? Is that it?"

"If anyone hates anybody, it's you" he snapped as he sat up and she pulled away "Look at you, you are barely with me, barely touch me"

"We have been through this, you don't want to touch me either, we don't satisfy each other Jackson"

"Bullshit"

"Perhaps I don't enjoy spending time with you because you are always pissed off drunk, aggressive and moronic" she explained as she stood up "You destroy the house out of anger, you throw bottles around, you yell at me, you pushed me away"

"Because all you care about are the stupid royal duties"

"What did you want me to do, huh? Stay at home and cook and clean for you every day?"

"Wouldn't be so bad"

"I am a Queen"

"And I am a King, you don't see me yelling out that every two minutes"

"Because you only became a King after marrying me!" she screamed, amazed by her husband's attitude "You cannot put us in the same basket. I cannot choose to stay at home and drink all day. One of us has to deliver"

"Stop bullshitting me Hayley, I know you're not running after royal chores in your miniskirts and heels all day long" he said, his tone getting more aggressive "Algernon told me you spend time with Klaus Mikaelson now"

"Here we go again" she said as she grabbed her bag "This marriage is sick"

"Is he there? Is he at the party?"

"I don't know, and I don't care Jackson!"

"If I found out he is there I swear to god…" he said, his hand forming a fist

"If you dare lay a hand on me I won't care about anything Jackson, do you hear me? If you even threaten me once again in that way I won't hesitate, I will leave you"

He stopped and pulled his hand down. She hurried out of the house and went directly into the car that was waiting for her out front.

She walked into the event with a brave face, the unhappiness she went through only some minutes ago not visible in her expression. She spotted him quite easily among the crowd, his ginger-brown hair standing out from the crowd.

She swept her long brunette hair back with her fingers, exposing her long, slender neck, the diamond necklace sparkling under the lights.

She extended a hand as her chest rose with the rhythm of her nervous heartbeat.

"It's nice to meet you again" she said as her fingers touched his "Hayley Marshall" she confirmed as he carried her hand to his lips

"Oh, I remember you Ms. Marshall, and I must admit I am rather pleased to see you here tonight"

They both laughed softly as she pulled her hand back and looked up into his eyes, as her hands fixed her uncomfortably fancy dress discretely.

"We need to stop crossing paths on random occasions" he sneered "I don't even see the people I actually intend to see this often"

"I can walk away now, stop bothering you" she suggested and pulled her body away as she took a step back, but he held onto her arm softly and pulled her back with a grin

"I'm starting to think these coincidences have a subliminal meaning we should decipher" he whispered into her ear "I know I want to see more of you"

"That's a funny thing to say to a married woman" she responded with a shaky voice even though those were exactly the words she wanted to hear

"We both know that is not how a marital unison looks like" he said coldly

"Regardless…" she said and pulled away once again "I enjoy being your friend though" she added, hoping that would soften the sudden rejection

"My apologies Hayley, I don't have friends" he said with a confident grin

"Well, I don't have affairs" she said and they both laughed

Their eye contact escalated the tension between them. His eyes moved to her lips as she pulled her eyes away from his. Suddenly, the loud interruption in the hall broke them both away from their thoughts.

"Hayley" came the roar she recognized easily

"Don't go with him" he said directly as she took a step towards the noise "Hayley you don't have to go with him"

"I have to" she whispered

"Hayley, you don't have to keep doing this if you're unhappy" he snapped

"Hayley!" they heard him yell again as a last call before things would turn ugly

"I'm sorry Klaus" she said and hurried away, leaving him behind looking after the blur of her red dress disappearing from view

"After that conversation, after you made me feel so guilty, you had the audacity to come here even though you knew damn well that son of a bitch would be here too?"

"I told you, I had to be here" she said, ignoring his aggression

"I called the guys, asked them to pick me up, asked if you had arrived, only to find out you're here giggling with Klaus Mikaelson"

"I was simply having a generic conversation"

"I forbid you to see him ever again"

"You cannot give me any ultimatums" she said, getting angrier as well "Even if this was a real marriage I would not allow you to dictate me in any way, let alone the fact that you and I are only married on paper Jackson, only for the sake of the people we rule over."

"I told you, you are not to spend any time with that man ever again" he grabbed her arm and pulled it down, forcing her to get closer to his face "and now you are coming home with me"

"Hayley" Klaus called out as he approached them, obvious anger over his face

"Get your hand off me before I make this more embarrassing for us" she said, hardly keeping calm

"I touch you however I want to touch you" he continued to insist, his breath wreaking of alcohol against her skin

"I told you to never touch me" she said as she regained her posture, easily overcoming his strength "I told you that would be it for me, I told you there would be no return"

She overpowered him and bend his arm, making him fold as she pleased

"Hayley Marshall so help me…"

"You are nothing in comparison to me Jackson. I am ten times the werewolf you will ever be" she said as her eyes flashed yellow "and our marriage is over"

She let go of him, dropping him on his knees and walking away, followed by Klaus.

"Hayley, if you hadn't handled it on your own I would interfere, I just didn't want to make you think I assume that you cannot take care of yourself" Klaus explained as she walked out the venue

"You can help me, in a way" she said as she looked at him "Take me away, away from him, away from them, away from my responsibilities"

He smiled and held her hand, pulling her after him to his car.

"Hayley, you come back here this instant" she heard Jackson call out as she shut the car door

"Go, go, go!" she kept repeating as she shut her eyes, fully aware of the crowd gathering outside to watch her escape

"It'll be alright Hayley" Klaus said calmly as they drove off "You have me here, I'll be the friend you can always count on"

She smiled and relaxed herself on the seat, the relief of finally knowing this marriage was over for good allowing her to breathe in fresh air when her lungs felt rotten with the toxic she had been exposed to.

The Next Morning

When she woke up nude by his side the next morning she wasn't sure how to feel. Lord knew she was falling for this dangerous man, and everyone knew he never had good intentions. For once though, she thought, she could change him. She could make it work. She could show him how great things could be if he just fully gave in.

On top of her romantic drama was the heaviness of knowing that she had done the unfixable, she had ended her marriage in a way that she could never return from. The ancestors would withdraw her power from her, punishing her for disrupting the sanctity of marriage, but she didn't care, or she thought she didn't. At least right there, in that bed, she thought she did the right thing.

He fidgeted around and eventually turned towards her, his blue eyes shining as the sunlight hit them.

"Good morning love" he said as he began to sit up "Had a nice night?"

She smiled and sat up too "Eventually it turned out to be great"

"You must have kept that wolf locked up for long, you simply went full on beast mode on me last night" he said cheekily while pulling on a shirt

"If you're trying to ask me if I had sex with my husband recently, I can assure you I haven't"

"Oh no, that is your personal business. I don't usually bother about before and after with a one night stand"

She stopped moving and watched him continuing to dress, not at all fazed by his subtle comment on the status of their relationship

"One night stand?" she asked, expecting clarification

"Well, of course. I mean, you are an amazing woman and I do care about you, but I don't do relationships"

She rubbed her forehead, her previous confidence in doing the right things getting shattered

"I cheated on my husband and my people for a one night stand?"

"Did I ever promise you anything different?"

"Last night in the car…"

"I promised to be the friend you can always count on, which I am. Which says a lot, given that I don't usually make friends. You, my dear, are an exception"

"Then why did you sleep with me, if I'm only a friend?"

"Because you needed it…because we needed it to end the sexual tension between us"

He stood up, now fully dressed, and grabbed some clothes from the closet

"I don't understand what happened, how could I be this…"

"Don't tell me you fell in love with me sweetheart" he said with a teasing grin "These clothes should fit you well enough for the day, they are my sister's. She cannot fit everything in one room unfortunately, so she takes my closet space"

Hayley shook her head and grabbed the clothes from him, pulling on the t-shirt as thoughts buzzed in her head

"Of course, I am not in love with you Klaus" she said as she stood up and began searching for her bag "but things aren't that black and white. I thought we had a connection, something I could rely on during this difficult time"

"You do. You have my friendship"

She rolled her eyes and grabbed the phone she finally found under the bed. Avoiding him, she began walking towards the door. He sped to her and shut the door before she could leave, making her turn to face him, to her discontent.

"What?" she snapped

"If you must know, I could never fall in love with you, or make you promises of relationships and commitment, as my heart is forever committed to another. So, you know, it's not personal"

"You are in love with someone else?"

"Sadly, yes, I am. Madly, truly in love"

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

"I am convinced"

"Then why are you telling me this? I don't need to know this"

"Because she's coming to see me soon, and this time I may actually, finally get her"

"Are you trying to ridicule me further?"

"I am trying to avoid precisely that my dear. I don't want you to found out on your own and get more hurt"

"Klaus, I am not hurt about you not being my lover or being committed to me in any way. I am hurting because I may have finally reached the point of no return in my marriage over a one night stand"

"A one night stand that is worth much more than anything your dipshit of a husband could ever give you"

She looked at him one last time with a sigh and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you for everything Klaus Mikaelson" she said and smiled, genuinely smiled, realizing there was nothing to overreact over. She would be just fine. Her marriage would end as the wolves realized the binding spell was disrespected, and she would have much more pressing issues to handle than a dramatic love triangle.

One Month Later

She sat on the couch, looking out the window at her husband as he mowed their garden. No, she still had not lost her powers and no one had realized she had cheated. Taking this as a second chance given to her by the ancestors, or assuming they may have not noticed this error, she decided to continue the charade and remain married, for the sake of her rule and her people. The sad part was that the lack of political crisis in her life made not thinking about Klaus Mikaelson more difficult, especially knowing that he was now in a happy relationship with his true love, Caroline Forbes.

She folded her knees and pulled her legs to her chest, as flashes of that night went through her mind. She had avoided him as much as she could ever since, having barely five-minute conversations on extremely rare occasions.

Deep in thought, she didn't notice the crowd gathering outside her house, marching towards it as her husband was filled in on the reason behind the protest. The slamming of the door broke her away from her thoughts to find an entire crowd of her people standing tall before her, angry and demanding.

"What is this? What kind of an attitude is this? How dare you-?"

"We know you slept with Klaus Mikaelson" one roared out

She froze, as her eyes wandered around to meet her husband's

"What are you talking about?" she finally blurted out

"The witches told us, they are going crazy with their visions. We don't know how you evaded the ancestors, but we will channel them and make them punish you for your sins. We don't want a Queen like you. We don't want you or the bastard's bastard"

"The bastard's what? Listen, let me explain…"

"You and your monstrous, abomination of a child are not welcome in our community. We will punish you as the ancestors see fit. You will lose the privileges of being a werewolf"

"What child?" she whispered, frozen on those words

"The child you are carrying, the child of Klaus Mikaelson, of the Hybrid"

"That's impossible" she said shakily, holding onto the wall as the information thrown at her made her feel weak

"All the witches confirmed it, they all know. You are carrying his child, you disgrace"

She shook her head and finally met Jackson's eyes. The disappointment broke her heart, even though she knew he didn't deserve her anymore, this is not the way she thought he's find out.

"Take her!" he announced, destroying the last piece of empathy she had for him "I order you ask your king to lock her up until further notice, I don't want her filthiness in my house"

"I am your Queen! You are nothing without me!" She exclaimed as she pushed away the wolves coming to grab her "This is my house as much as it is yours"

"This is a house of honor, it is not for disgraceful whores like yourself" he snapped "Grab her!"

She screeched and pushed them away as she began running out of the house, from the people she suffered through years of a terrible marriage for, from the people she'd die to defend. She just ran, realizing things had now taken a turn she wouldn't be able to return from easily. She ran, because things were about to become really complicated.


	2. Chapter 2

Hayley didn't realize her feet were taking her to the Mikaelson mansion when she began running. She didn't realize that the people who made her feel the safest in her hometown were ironically those she knew the least.

She came to a halt in the garden. The footsteps and nonsensical yells of the crowd pursuing her could be heard in the distance, steadily approaching. She took a deep breath and began walking toward the mansion she could see before her.

Suddenly the door opened, and two giggling individuals walked out hand in hand. She recognized one immediately: she could recognize that smile and those eyes anywhere. Klaus wrapped his arm around the blonde woman next to him, who Hayley could logically conclude was Caroline Forbes. All the safety and relaxation she felt began to disappear. They couldn't see her, they didn't realize how desperate she was up until that moment to go in, to be protected.

As the crowd arrived and gathered around her Niklaus Mikaelson finally realized he and his lover weren't alone in the area. He stood up and approached them, trying to identify the different people on his property.

"Hayley?" he called out as he got closer "What is this supposed to mean?" Caroline followed suit

"Hayley do not resist us. Just follow us and everything will be better for our community. We will fix what you wronged" someone in the crowd stated

"Hayley what is going on?" Klaus demanded as he took a step closer

"You have already sinned against our people by betraying your oath and lying with another. If you leave with him now there is no going back. For any of you"

Klaus raised his eyebrows, unaware that the second person being referred wasn't him but was, in fact, the baby Hayley was supposedly pregnant to.

"Did you consider that marriage was a torture for her? If it wasn't me it would be someone else. She is your Queen, you need to respect her, not her husband" Klaus snapped

"He held up his end, she is the one who didn't respect our traditions" the man responded

"Hayley come here, they can't do anything to you in the Mikaelson household" Klaus offered, extending his hand to her, reminding her of the first time they met "Come on Hayley"

Hayley, who hadn't uttered a word throughout the entire altercation, looked over at her subordinates who rioted against her. The hand extended to her began to wave, expecting to be held. As she returned her gaze to Klaus a deep sigh was heard from Caroline, reminding Hayley of the other variables in play.

The fallen Queen took a step back from Klaus, shaking her head as a tear slid down her cheek. She dropped herself on her knees, the official protocol for giving in among the wolves, and raised her hands in surrender.

They grabbed her arms and tied it behind her back, lifting her and carrying her away. The sound became tainted, her vision blurry, but she could recognize Klaus' silhouette fighting for her return to him.

"Hayley, I will behead all of them if they don't let you go this instant" he shrieked behind her, which made the wolves stop

"I want to go Klaus" she finally spoke softly "Its where I belong"

He watched her with dismay as the wolves carried her away. She knew exactly where she was going: the dungeon built by her late parents to punish those wolves who disrespected the elders.

"You are to stay here until your child is born. We cannot access the ancestors; thus, we cannot decide a proper punishment for you. We believe it's because your abomination is in play. We cannot harm you while you are with child"

"They don't want to hurt my child?" she asked, assuming they'd kill them both for treason

"We don't understand either – nor do we understand how you still have your powers"

She took a deep breath and sat herself down on the dirty, dusty ground.

"Wear this" they said, throwing her a nightdress and a robe

"What is this supposed to be?" she snapped, unamused by the disgraceful choice of outfit they had for their Queen

"It'll fit you throughout your pregnancy, and we can be sure you don't have any weapons or anything funny on you at all times" they elaborated

She shut her eyes and went to a corner to undress. This was the right thing to do. She deserved this punishment for cheating on her husband, for betraying her people.

She should not have fallen for another man, especially one as problematic and dangerous to her community as Klaus Mikaelson.

Days passed by in the cell she was in. She was given minimal water and food, and the wolves who once obeyed her in a heartbeat looked at her with disgust as they hissed insults at her every chance they got. She heard them wish she lost her child, that she died in pain because of her 'abomination'.

Truth was, she still couldn't wrap her head around being pregnant. It felt impossible to her, unreal. Before things went sour she and Jackson had tried so hard to have a child, but it hadn't worked in their favor. He had blamed her at the time, and now this development obviously didn't make him very pleased. She knew that was why he had agreed to this. No matter how bad things had gotten, she knew he still had care for her in his heart, as she did for him in hers, and he wouldn't let her be treated this way if it wasn't for this child that hurt his pride.

As days went by she began to feel more fatigued, less alive. The only person who treated her as a human, who ironically happened to be Jackson's grandmother, visited her once again at her usual hour, to find her pale and barely conscious, not haven eaten and vomited all over. She felt human touch for the first time as the woman barged in and held onto her, which wasn't typically allowed.

"Hayley, darling" she breathed out as she cupped her cheeks "Say something, are you alright?"

"I feel pain" Hayley whimpered tiredly

"You need to get out of here, no matter how you did it, you are pregnant. You cannot be treated this way"

"Grams they will be mad at you. I deserve this punishment. Just leave me, maybe we'll both die and I'll be saved from this madness"

"You did what you did because my grandson pushed you to it. The ancestors know, why do you think you still have your powers?" she said as she sat Hayley up "I'm an elder, they cannot touch me"

"I am a Queen, look what they did to me"

"You let them do this to you" she corrected "You are more powerful than all of them combined. Get out of here, don't be ashamed of who you are"

"I cheated on him Grams, how can you be alright with that?" she asked breathlessly, a hand moving to her abdomen as the pain got worse

"I witnessed your marriage, I know how he treated you" she said as she stroked Hayley's cheek and wiped her tears "I know what you've been through, they don't"

Hayley began sobbing as the elder shushed her and tried to calm the fallen Queen down.

"I think I fell in love with someone else, and for that I deserve a punishment. I think I do"

"Love isn't something we can control; thus, love isn't something we can be punished or rewarded for. I told them years ago not to base community unison on two people's fate, on their happiness" she snapped "Get up and fight for yourself. Fight for what is right. You don't give up like this. Your parents didn't give up like this. Even when they lost their last breath to the poison that is wolfsbane, when the vampires tricked them, they still stood strong and gave their last breath in grace. You cannot disappoint them this way"

"I already disappointed them" she argued

"They aren't disappointed in you for falling out of love with the man who hurt you, or in love with a man who treated you with respect" she continued "Don't speak on their behalf"

"I just want to sleep" Hayley said as she felt her eyes shut, unable to fight the pain any longer

"Hayley, I will leave you rest, just think of what I said…I will leave you, and I will accidentally leave the cell open" she said as she walked out "I'm sorry if that permits you to escape. I'm an old lady, I make mistakes"

Hayley deciphered those words and suddenly, without her control, her eyes burst open. She could escape. She could get help.

Why would she though? Who did she have left? She had fallen in love with a bad man, a man with no remorse, no care. He didn't care what state she was in, he didn't feel any guilt for her fate.

As she began to reassess her life, and the idea of leaving the hell she was left it, she began to feel a sense of empowerment she couldn't control. If the ancestors really valued her depending on her romantic relationships, then why did she still have her powers? Didn't they also vow to respect each other? Why didn't Jackson be punished for abusing alcohol and mistreating her? Why would her society judge her leadership based on a mistake she made in her personal life? Why did she have to be unhappy so they could be happy, so they could channel her family's power? Why should she be ashamed for being in love with him, and not her husband?

She thought of Klaus, of the way he treated her. He had treated her and made her feel like a human, like someone who matters not only when there is a problem to be solved, but also when everything is going well. He made her laugh, he let her have fun. Just like she didn't want to be judged for being in love with someone else, she couldn't judge him for loving someone else either.

It was him she loved. Not Jackson, not her community. It was him, it was the child she was carrying. She couldn't care less if he didn't reciprocate these feelings. She was going to fight for their miracle, even though the judgmental monsters called it an abomination, and she was going to stand strong.

She felt a sudden sense of power and pushed herself up. She couldn't give up his touch, his friendship, his love, whether amicable or romantic. She wanted him to be there for her, like he was that night. She wanted him to help her get better.

She also knew, however, that to him this child would only be a danger to his newfound bliss with Caroline. She knew about how evil he could get, she knew he could react badly to a child. She was torn apart.

She walked out the cell and crawled up the stairs, the pain overwhelming her. She didn't know how many people were upstairs, keeping guard, but she didn't expect many. She finally saw light fall in from the gate and felt a burst of energy to fight her way to freedom. There were two of them, standing guard as they discussed something, seeming bored by their job, unaware of what was to happen. She could easily lose the fight and be taken back to the cell, but she had to try.

"Apparently Klaus doesn't know about the child, but the other Mikaelsons are aware" one said

"Why won't they tell him? Are they protecting us?"

"The opposite. They don't believe it and they don't want him to harm her until they're sure"

"It's Rebekah isn't it, the feminist one. She always sides with the woman I've heard"

"The other brother, Kol, as well. He wants her release to them. Well the noble one, Elijah or whatever it is, I heard the elders talking, he isn't happy with the situation. He wants to eliminate Hayley before Klaus even realizes. He wants her gone"

"They say that brother has gone insane, lost the once noble objectives he used to have"

"I say we work with him. He'll help us"

"Do you really agree we should kill her? She was always good to us"

"She betrayed us Charles. She must be punished"

She couldn't listen anymore and walked up to face them instead. They seemed surprised to see her, and immediately initiated an attack to take her back. She recognized them, she had trained them and made them the men they were together as their Queen, and now they were fighting her.

She thought at her current weak state she'd lose instantly, but something about them lunging towards them made her reflexes heighten. She evaded their attack easily and attacked back. Their physical strength couldn't match to her, even when she was this powerless. Their power did, after all, derive from her dynasty. That was why the marriage meant so much to them. They didn't care about ethics – they only cared about themselves. She was a pawn in their game.

She continued fighting them until they began to give up and collapse. It hurt her to fight her own men, but she had to. They made her.

She hurried away when she realized the risk was averted, before more could follow suit. She walked as fast as she could back the same path they had brought her, right back to the mansion she had gone to the first time she escaped their riots. This time she would talk to Klaus, she would take his help.

She finally arrived to the garden. No one had followed her. They must have not realized her absence yet. She felt her knees get weaker as a sudden bolt of pain hit her in the stomach. She knew her time was limited.

She finally carried herself to the door and knocked. There was no answer at first, so she knocked harder, only to notice the blood on her hand. Her nightgown was getting soaked in her dark red blood. She began hyperventilating, about to lose consciousness as the door finally opened.

"This better be bloody important" he snapped as he opened the door, shirtless

"Help me" she could breathe out before collapsing to his arms, her bloody hands staining his skin

"What happened to you Hayley? Where have you been?" he asked as she picked her up into his arms

She looked at him one last time, realizing it was him she loved, but more importantly, this child that she loved. She stroked his face as a tear fell from her eyes.

"Please, save my baby, please" she whimpered before dropping her head back and losing consciousness

Guys please leave a review! I'll write smaller chapters but post more often! I hope you like it! Its hard to update with my exams, but I'm trying!


	3. Chapter 3

Klaus Mikaelson wasn't one to panic easily, especially not for others. In this instance, however, he had a knot in his chest he couldn't explain. He continued to hold onto her, not sure of what exactly he had to do. Her last words, her reference to her pregnancy, made him feel a weird sense of empathy and jealousy at the same time. The only thing he could think of was that he had assumed she and her husband hadn't been sleeping together for a long time, but given this baby that was now introduced into the picture he had reason to think otherwise, which bothered him.

"Klaus, we should do something, she's bleeding" Caroline pointed out, ending the silence and dragging him out of his thoughts

"We should take her to a hospital" he suggested and started moving towards the car

"She's not human, there'll be complications"

"Nothing we can't deal with"

"That's the thing, why are we supposed to deal with it? We should call someone to help her out"

"She doesn't have anybody"

"But she has you?" she asked, making this about the wrong thing

Klaus didn't answer the question. He lay Hayley safely on the back seat and got on the driver's.

"Are you coming?" he asked her, hoping to end the conversation, he had other things to worry about

"Of course, I am" she responded and climbed in the car

He drove quickly, an eye still on Hayley on the back seat. He wanted to see her safe and healthy.

He explained the doctors at the emergency entrance what he knew and followed them in as they took Hayley inside for immediate assistance.

"How far along is the baby?" they asked him, expecting him to know

"I have no idea, I only just found out she's with child"

"I see, she seemed malnourished, was she not taking proper care of herself?"

"I am not sure, I believe she wasn't"

The doctors ordered some tests and took her in a private room. He just wanted to hear them say she's okay, that'll she'll be up and walking soon, that she'll be able to explain how exactly she got pregnant, when he thought she wasn't sleeping with her husband. The last issue was becoming an obsession for Klaus.

"You slept with her once, that's it?" Caroline questioned as she approached him

"Yes, I told you already, I wanted to help her get the courage to leave that abusive husband"

"Yet she comes to you every chance she gets, no matter what the issue"

"She's a friend"

"I thought you don't have friends Klaus"

"It's different"

"She has feelings for you"

"Caroline, come on, it's not the time or the place"

"How is she?" suddenly Kol, the younger Mikaelson brother asked as he burst in, followed by Rebekah and Elijah

"She's inside being checked…I didn't realize you knew Hayley" Klaus asked suspiciously

Kol looked over at his sister and straightened up

"I don't know her personally, no" he clarified "Anything else?"

"Well apparently she's pregnant and the child is in danger" Klaus explained

"You found out?" Rebekah asked, shocked

"What is that supposed to mean? She came to me bleeding, she probably escaped the werewolves…"

"Who is the father?" Elijah asked, more serious than the others

"Her husband, unless she had another lover"

There was a sigh of relief from the younger Mikaelson siblings, while Elijah maintained his posture and began thinking

"What is going on with you three?" Klaus snapped, getting impatient

"Mr. Mikaelson?" a different voice, who Klaus turned to realize was the nurse, called out

"How is she?" Klaus asked as he approached her with speed

"We have stabilized her, the baby is fine but very fragile. She'll be waking up any minute now"

"Great, thank you, when can I see her?"

"See her? I assumed we could get going now" Caroline questioned as she too approached the nurse

"I want to see her to make sure she doesn't need anything else"

"You can call her" she snapped

"Well, once she's awake you can see her, whether you choose to or not depends on you, but I'm sure she'd appreciate it" the nurse said and left

"Caroline, I love you, but don't get involved in my personal businesses" he said, much more aggressively than he had anticipated, and sat down

The other Mikaelson siblings were in a heated discussion, which confused Klaus further.

"What is up with you three?" he asked from his seat "What is happening, seriously"

"Klaus you need to know something" Kol suddenly said, to Rebekah's surprise

"No, he doesn't" Rebekah corrected as she pulled Kol back

"Maybe he should" Elijah added with a smirk

"Enough, both of you" Rebekah hissed and looked over at Klaus "We are thinking about whether or not we should support her reclaim of the werewolf throne, that's all" Rebekah elaborated "Nothing for you to worry about now"

Klaus didn't really believe them, but couldn't be bothered with that argument now.

"Ms. Marshall is awake" the nurse announced "You may see her"

Klaus hurried past her and went in, to Caroline's dismay

She was lying in bed, obviously scared and worried. He didn't notice before how dark the circles under her eyes had become, how sunken her cheeks. She managed to still look as beautiful as she did the first day he met her though.

"How are you feeling now, little wolf?" Klaus asked as he approached the bed slowly

She looked over at him slowly, tears forming in her eyes.

"How is my baby, is it really okay? They said it is but I'm not sure…"

"You're both fine" Klaus said as he sat on the bed "Why did you go with the wolves?"

She chose not to answer that question.

"Are they here? Are they looking for me?"

"No, they are not. I assume you escaped and weren't released?"

"I made a mistake bowing to their demands in the first place. I didn't do anything wrong"

"You did cheat on your husband…but you went back to him anyway"

"I, I had to. For my people"

"You seem to have made up with him" Klaus said, looking away from her

"Why would you say that? He demanded my imprisonment"

"Well, you are pregnant, to start off with"

"You think it's his?" she asked, her voice shaking

"Isn't it? Was there someone else?"

She didn't answer once again.

"How did they find out we slept together anyway?" he asked, which she wasn't expecting

"I don't know" she said simply "I was suddenly met with a riot"

"Well, you didn't do anything wrong. Your husband didn't deserve you"

She nodded and sat up, a hand on her stomach protectively

"I don't know what the right thing to do is" she said as she looked into his eyes "I want this baby, I really do"

"We will keep you safe" Klaus said and put a hand on hers supportively

"A part of me was hoping I'd never wake up again, that this will all end"

"Don't say that" he responded immediately "We need you" he added with a smile

"You don't have to be here for me" she said shyly "You don't need to support me, you'll create more complications for yourself"

"I don't care about the complications the wolves can create for me. I can deal with them"

"I meant with Caroline" she elaborated

"Caroline knows I love her, she's okay with me helping a friend"

She pulled her hand back and nodded

"I think I need some time alone Klaus. If you don't mind"

"That's alright. I'll be out waiting, call for me if you need anything. Once you're allowed to leave I'll take you to mine"

"That's alright, I'll find a place to stay"

"I'll take you to mine" he insisted and stood up "Take care, little wolf" he placed a kiss on her forehead and left.

She began crying once the door closed, not able to handle all the little bits and pieces of drama she was exposed to. He saw her as a friend, an exceptional move from him, and he was being a good friend. She didn't want him as a friend though, and that hurt her. As her tears continued to pour the door suddenly opened again, making her wipe them quickly.

"Hayley Marshall" the charismatic young man who walked in called out as he approached his bed "Kol Mikaelson, it's an honour to meet you"

"Another Mikaelson?" she questioned as she smiled, trying to hide the tears shining on her cheeks

"I think we need to talk" he stated as the door opened once again and Rebekah Mikaelson walked in as well

It didn't take before their conversation got to the point the Mikaelson siblings intended for it to since the start.

"Who told you it's Klaus'?" Hayley asked as she pushed herself to sit up, bewildered by the sudden awareness random strangers seemed to have of her baby

"We need you to keep the child" Kol pointed out "Or don't, but do it because you want to, not because someone makes you"

"I couldn't care less about the wolves, they won't impact my decision"

"I know they see your child as an abomination, but it is a miracle to us" Rebekah clarified "There is nothing we would hope more than to welcome an innocent member to our family, I know we don't look like it, but we are full of love and loyalty to family members, and Klaus is the only one so far blessed enough to have such a miracle awarded to him"

"Once again, I have no intention of letting anyone touch my child…plus, you didn't tell me how you know its Klaus' baby"

"We don't know yet, actually, not for certain" Kol elaborated as he began stepping around the room "Which is why we tell you not to let others interfere in your decisions"

"I don't understand"

"You cannot tell Klaus, Hayley, not yet" Kol warned "Not till we're sure, and perhaps not even if we are"

"I am sure" Hayley snapped "I haven't been with anyone else, it has to be Klaus'. Besides, if I tell him I'm worried he'll get too involved or attached, and I'm not sure I'm ready to have that proximity with him just yet"

The two siblings looked at each other, clearly a common knowledge they shared was about to be told to Hayley. Hayley who realized this reassessed the things she had just said in order to try and identify the aspects they could rebut.

"Hayley, darling, our fear is quite the opposite, really" Rebekah began explaining "We're worried that with Klaus' current state of mind he might react negatively to the news"

"Current state of mind?" Hayley asked, confused

"He doesn't like having any vulnerabilities around for his enemies to use…a baby is quite a vulnerable vulnerability" Rebekah continued

"Are you saying Klaus will not want his own child, a once in a lifetime miraculous opportunity, because his enemies may use it against him?"

"That, is one very important reason, but it isn't the only one" Rebekah said, clearly trying to find a way to put what she was intending to say nicely

"He's with Caroline, finally, after years of pining after her he finally got the woman he loves to respond to his feelings in the same way. He's with her and he's happy. I don't think he'll be very accepting of any possible idea that can threaten that." Kol said impatiently "He is innately a decent enough man, but life has fucked us up one too many times to be able to set our priorities straight"

"You think Klaus would be hostile to the idea of having a child because his relationship may be threatened? That doesn't sound like him. That is pathetic" Hayley said nervously, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering nervously

"Klaus can react very aggressively to protect the things he cares about" Rebekah tried to explain more smoothly

"And if he does find out about my baby being his, he won't aggressively try to protect it?"

"He isn't attached to the idea Hayley, he never intended to be a father. You cannot miss or care for something you never even felt in the first place"

"I think you're wrong" Hayley said coldly, shocked by the revelations thrown her way "I may not know Klaus as well as you do, but I think I've known him enough to trust him in this. When the time is right I will tell Klaus about the child and his reaction will never be to hurt me, or my baby"

"Well we've known him a thousand years, literally" Kol said with sarcastic tone "He doesn't like losing Hayley. He loves achieving things and not losing them. He knows he won't be able to win if he tries to maintain his relationship, his authority and superiority over his enemies and his child. The conflict of interest will make him lose on all domains, and that is not something he will take lightly"

"I am not some waitress he met and banged one random night" Hayley answered angrily "I am the Queen of the Werewolves, I have power, I can protect my child"

"You are on the run from the wolves, and they intend to steal your powers – how does that make you strong enough to protect your child?"

"Klaus will not want to hurt us, believe me" Hayley responded with a shaky voice, clearly tired of arguing "But I need your help to find the best time to tell him"

The siblings looked over at each other once again before nodding. Hayley was glad she had people to look out for her, but the information they shared made her more nervous than ever before.

Klaus wouldn't hurt her, would he?

She thought back to the way he described Caroline and the way he looked at her when she was around. He was clearly infatuated – and maybe Kol Mikaelson was right, maybe Klaus would sacrifice everything to make his relationship, the most important one to him in ten centuries, work out.

"You need to terminate this pregnancy for the sake of everybody Hayley" a voice stated while Hayley was deep in her thoughts. She hadn't realized Elijah had walked in.

"Elijah, why, what are you doing here?" she asked as she tried to analyze his expression. He didn't seem as positive as usual. He seemed more distant and cold, which worried her

"I am giving you an advice: Get rid of the child"

"I don't think so"

"You can have another child anytime you want, you can have anyone else's child, but not his"

"Why not?"

"Because he doesn't want a child, he doesn't deserve one"

"Elijah, you sound ridiculous" she said, not assessing her words before saying them

With that he was at her bed side, his hands grabbing her arms and making her look into his eyes

"He doesn't want a child, he doesn't deserve a child, he cannot have a child" he began barking "Nature made it this way for a reason, this isn't right, it isn't meant to be, none of us can have a child, that is the way it is"

"I think this is more personal to you than it should be" Hayley said angrily as she tried to fidget her arm out of his grip "Let go of me"

"Klaus doesn't want this child, he already has everything"

"That is not for you to decide"

"If you do not rid us of it willingly I will do it for you, you whore, did you use a spell? Did you trick him into bed? Is it really his, or is that a deception as well? One of your sorcerous trickeries?"

"What are you on about Elijah? Why would I need his baby?"

"For more power? To control our family? To manipulate us?"

"I don't need your sad ass family's useless assistance in life" she responded confidently as she began overcoming his strength "You forget who I am"

"You didn't seem that strong when you begged in front of that red door" he said, which she couldn't understand

"What are you talking about? What red door?"

There was a pause and the two of them looked eye to eye. Hayley was beginning to question his sanity, and with reason.

"You are so beautiful" he said randomly "Why are you so beautiful?"

At that moment, the door opened and Klaus walked in, shocked to see his brother so close to Hayley

"What is happening here?" Klaus asked as he walked up to them

"Nothing, just having a chat, trying to find out if Hayley needs anything. She is a family friend, after all" Elijah lied "Would you excuse me" he added and left

"That was odd, seeing you two alone" Klaus said as he approached her further

"We have met before, you know that" Hayley tried to act casual but was shaking on the inside

"Yeah. I do…well, anyway, it's time for us to leave, we can go home finally and you can get some proper rest"

"I'm not so sure staying with the Mikaelsons is a great idea" Hayley realized

"Nonsense, you will feel more welcome than you do back home, well did back home"

"I want to be in my house" Hayley said, remembering the house she shared with her husband

"That is not a great idea"

"It is my house, I deserve to be living in it"

"I heard that's where the wolves are conducting their meetings now, where they are discussing you"

"In my house?"

"They do not see it as your house"

Hayley began to get angry, all the arguments and discussions with the Mikaelsons in addition to the use of her house as the main location for plotting against her bothered her in a way that made her blood boil. She was unforgiving.

"Let's go Klaus" she snapped "Let's go before I lose my mind"

They got to the mansion after an awkwardly silent car ride accompanied by Caroline, and Hayley was set in the guest bedroom. She looked around the house to see any clues that could help her get to know Klaus better, but the only clue that loomed in front of her eyes, further adding to her anger, was his love for Caroline.

She realized being around them was clearly not good for her or her child, so she retired to her chambers and stayed in bed, resting to regain energy, and thought through everything she had had to process that day.

When she woke up the next morning she couldn't even remember when she had fallen asleep the night before. She was so deep in thought she must have just dozed off.

Hayley realized secluding herself from everyone was only giving her more paranoia and anxiety, so she decided to go meet the Mikaelsons, whom she could overhear talking in the living room, and get some socialization to help relax her.

When she left her room however, the conversation she began to overhear was anything but soothing.

"They want to execute her in the house, her house" Klaus was saying "They also want to denounce her as a Queen and make Jackson the sole ruler"

"The house is important to her, he knows it is, it's left to her from her parents and her entire ancestral line"

"Are they perhaps worried she can connect to the ancestors if she stays there? Is that why they try to keep her away?"

"Everyone knows that Hayley Marshall worked day and night during her early years as Jackson's wife and as the Queen to rebuild and restore that house to its glory. It symbolizes everything she is, and they use it to torture her" Klaus explained

Hayley knew that was true. The wolves had found a way to hurt her and were using it to lure her out, assuming she'd try to bargain for it.

She had no intention of letting this continue, however. She left the Mikaelson mansion silently, without alerting the others, and began directing herself towards her old house.

She knew they wouldn't be there at the time. It made no sense. During a crisis like this even lazy wolves like Jackson had to be up and running around to find her, especially if he wanted to be a king.

She used the spare key she had to walk in, and flashes of some of the best and worst memories she had in that house filled her head. Her feet led her to the basement…she knew what she was there to do.

The smell of gas began filling the house as she poured it all over the memories she had built on the walls, the floors, the bed…she breathed in the scent, feeling a weird and inexplicable sense of glory and pride. She was about to do something bad, but it just felt so good to her.

She stood in the living, reconsidering for the last time whether she should destroy everything she built with such difficulty or not. She remembered how much she hated the smell of smoke in the house, and how ironic that was…

 ** _"_** ** _I told you I don't like the smell of cigarettes inside the house" she snapped as she grabbed his from him and dropped it in his drink "You can at least try to respect some of my requests"_**

 ** _"_** ** _You know when you hear older people talk about their wives and describe how they nag and nag and nag?" he asked as he sat up "I really thought I would never have to live that, but you're just like the, you're worse actually"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Whatever" she sighed and stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her make up as she prepared to leave the house_**

 ** _"_** ** _You do look stunning" he said as he stood up and approached her, placing a hand on her leg as he pushed against her from behind_**

 ** _"_** ** _Jackson, please" she said as she shook him off "We haven't slept together in almost a year, and now is when you choose to make a move?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _You haven't been dressing like this in a year" he said as he pulled on her leather skirt as she put on her blazer_**

 ** _"_** ** _My style shouldn't be a reason for our sexual compatibility, or lack of it" she said as she threw her bag over her shoulder "I never complained about yours"_**

 ** _He laughed and put his hair up in a bun "You are literally impossible to deal with"_**

She laughed to herself neurotically for a moment as she looked over the coffee table and saw his lighter. It was symbolic, and it would be so fun.

She lit it up and dropped it on the gas soaked couch, the flames growing momentarily in front of her eyes. It felt like watching art, it felt like she was the one in charge again, that she had control of what people could and could not use to hurt her.

She stood outside her house, the one that once meant everything to her, and watched it burn up.

"Hayley!" she heard Klaus call out unexpectedly "What are you doing? Why would you do that?" he asked in horror as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the heat

"The house made me vulnerable…I don't like being vulnerable"

 ** _"_** ** _He doesn't like having any vulnerabilities around for his enemies to use…a baby is quite a vulnerable vulnerability" Rebekah continued_**

 ** _"_** ** _Are you saying Klaus will not want his own child, a once in a lifetime miraculous opportunity, because his enemies may use it against him?"_**

Hayley began realizing how similar they were with Klaus, and how she could picture him sacrifice her and their child to be the victor.

"Hayley this is, while understandable, this is insane, it is dangerous" Klaus responded "I'm taking you back home"

"I don't want to go with you, I can make it on my own"

"I am not letting that happen, come on we need to get away before the wolves realize what is happening"

"I don't want to go there, Caroline is clearly uncomfortable"

Klaus stopped at the mention of her name and she expected to meet his protective and aggressive eyes, but instead she met comforting ones as his hands held her even tighter

"I insist Hayley, everything is under my control. Your baby needs rest Hayley"

Hayley took a step closer to him, their faces merely inches apart

"You are helping me because of my child?" she questioned

He didn't respond for a moment and took a deep breath, his eyes fixated on her lips

"I am helping you because you are a friend" he responded, "Caroline doesn't mind me helping my friends, she is in on the decision, she knows there is nothing more to it"

The daydream, the sudden closeness romanticized with the flaming house in the distance was all destroyed with those words he uttered. She didn't like how he made her feel weaker in the knees, how he made her lungs feel full all the time. She simply nodded to him and began walking away from the past she just burned down towards a future she had no understanding of.

Her husband was just arriving in shock to their shared house as she drove off in Klaus' car, lost and opinion-less about what was to come.

She had burned down the most important house for New Orleans werewolves. This would not be taken lightly. It was a clear power play, and it was the opponent's turn now.

"Hayley, we're here" Klaus announced as they arrived "Stop overthinking it, you did what you did, we will deal with the wolves"

She nodded and stepped out the vehicle to be met with Kol Mikaelson, who looked over at her with some sort of appreciation and respect

"I cannot believe you did that" he said with a grin "That was badass, wish I could see, but it's not strategic for our family to be around the area now, avoid association with the arson"

"Klaus was there"

"Klaus was there to help you. Leaving you there wouldn't be smart…Were you trying to kill your husband?"

"I knew he wasn't home"

"Then why? I thought you loved that house, at least that's what Klaus told us"

"It made me weaker, they used it against me"

There was a pause as they both looked eye to eye, clearly aware of the reference to their conversation the day before

"I can understand why he chose to sleep with you, even through all the potential consequences involved – you two are similar"

"I also understand now" Hayley said in response "I understand that you were right, we need to hide this child from Klaus, until such time that I know for sure that nothing, not even Klaus' worry for his power among his adversaries, is strong enough to hurt it.

Kol nodded and smiled at her

"I can assure you, I will do anything to protect you two, starting off with proving this child is Klaus'"

She smiled back at him and looked over to the left, where Klaus and Caroline were standing in an embrace, discussing something

"They make me vulnerable too" she whispered, "I don't like it" she began laughing the same neurotic way she had inside "I don't like feeling weakened"

"Then it's your lucky day" Kol announced "I happen to hate that bitch"

"Well then, it's time to rid ourselves of Caroline Forbes once and for all" Hayley declared, adding another name to the list of people she was to avenge herself from

She had remembered who she was, what her blood stood for, what she meant in the supernatural community. It was time for her to behave like it.

Hey guys! Sorry for the late update! Thank you for all the reviews! Could you please leave some new ones for this chapter? Do you enjoy the direction we're taking? Any suggestions? Thanks! 3


	4. Chapter 4

Jackson Kenner had expected something like this from his wife. He knew her all too well. He had pushed her to the edge, and ever since he had heard of her escape he had known an attack was inevitable. What he didn't expect, however, was for her to target the thing she held so dear to her, their house, during this battle.

It made sense though, as Jackson himself had first introduced the house as a weapon when he kicked her out and used it as a center for anti-Hayley gatherings. In his mind his actions were justified, hers were simple childishness.

He walked into the burnt down house and nodded at the werewolves who were looking for anything to save. It was destroyed, darkened, tarnished. Everything they had built together, all the generations before them had left behind, they were all gone. He shook his head in disbelief and began making his way through the wreckage.

"Immature, that's what she is" she heard one of the werewolves state as they joined his side "Her behavior is making her more unacceptable as a Queen. I don't understand why the ancestors aren't punishing her yet"

Jackson was barely listening to them. He picked up what was left of a framed photograph and trying to make out what it was. As he wiped the glass clean he recognized the image in front of him, what was barely left of it at least, and remembered the day it was taken.

They were looking eye to eye and their hands were intertwined in front of the camera. They were laughing, they were young, they were happy – this was far before they had lost their way in their relationship. Not yet married, but truly happy.

 _"_ _I don't want to take a photo" she insisted "I look ugly"_

 _As she raised her hand to cover her face he held it in locked their fingers_

 _"_ _The day you look ugly will be the end of the world, for the idea of you looking any less than perfect seems impossible, or impossibly difficult to come by"_

 _"_ _Jackson, stop it" she said as she began smiling_

 _"_ _You don't need to look at the camera, look at me and make me the happiest man alive"_

 _"_ _Jack, come on" she said as she began laughing and he joined her_

 _"_ _I actually did take a photo of you guys already, I think it's way better than any photo you could have posed for"_

 _Jackson pulled his fiancé to his chest and they looked at the photo together, nodding and giggling._

 _"_ _I love it, ironically" she whispered and he kissed her neck "It's so us"_

 _"_ _It is" he responded, "A perfect symbol for our happiness"_

He smiled to himself as the memory flashed before his eyes. He hadn't been listening to the men around him for a while now.

"As if the damage she had done while she whored herself around wasn't enough…" he heard one declare as he began to focus once again

At that moment, something flicked in Jackson's head. He felt like a different man. He felt defensive of the woman in that photo, of the woman he made promises to. Only one question flashed in front of his eyes as he lunged at the man's neck: "What had you been thinking Jackson?"

"Don't you dare refer to her in such a manner again" he snapped as he continued to throttle her with rage-filled eyes "She is my wife and your Queen"

"Since when are we on that page again?" one of the others snapped "Jackson don't hurt one of your own for that woman"

Jackson let go, torn apart between the sense of guilt that was growing inside him towards his wife, and the sense of power he was so hungry for.

"Perhaps we need to re-assess the situation" he said as he pushed his hair back and began pacing through the ash black room "Perhaps what she did wasn't that bad"

"She is pregnant with another man's child Jackson"

He looked up and saw what was left of their bedroom through its doorframe. The first time they walked through that door she was so excited about the things to come, but he was aware things wouldn't go that well for them.

 _"_ _We are married Jack!" she exclaimed as she pushed him on the bed and climbed on top of him "We are married!"_

 _He nodded and pushed the hair off her face "You are so special, you deserve a beautiful life"_

 _She smiled and leaned in to kiss him_

 _"_ _We do, and we will have a great life together"_

 _He let her lips sink into his and her hands travel across his body. He responded to her touch, but his heart beat faster with guilt and worry as he did._

A sense of guilt and worry very similar to that night made his heart beat even faster as he stood in the ash and looked over at the burnt down bed.

"I need time" he said coldly and left the house.

He had to find Hayley, and he had to speak to her.

Hayley Marshall on the other hand was sitting on the porch of the Mikaelson mansion, feeling more alone in a house full of people than she ever had before. She was angry at the world, she was scared and she felt the desire for senseless vengeance in her veins.

"Lemonade?" Kol Mikaelson offered as he sat down beside her "It's nice and refreshing"

She nodded and took the glass from him, taking a sip of the ice-cold beverage immediately

"I am so angry" she hissed as Kol also drank "My head is full of misdirected anger"

"What are we doing about Caroline?"

"Why do you want her gone?"

"She is a bad influence. She makes him this weird fluffy individual who suppresses his negativity around her and unleashes it on the rest of us"

"That's why you want her gone? Because he's mean to you?"

"I don't trust her. What is your reason then?"

"She is the one thing standing between my child and its father"

Kol nodded understandingly.

"But first, I want to deal with the wolves. Those are more pressing matters"

"Will you actually stay pregnant to his child in his house and not tell him anything?"

"You agree that he is not ready to find out yet. Do you have an alternative? Because I don't"

"I'm looking for one" he responded, "I actually began to like you Hayley Marshall, you are quite a cool friend, you deserve the Kol Mikaelson protection"

"The what?" she asked as she looked over at him

Before he could answer a figure that approached the porch interrupted them. As the silhouette got closer and the identity became clearer Kol jumped up, stood in front of her and growled in defense, his vampire eyes exposed threateningly. Hayley recognized the man who had just arrived and stood up to meet the eyes of her estranged husband.

"I'm only here to talk to my wife…just talk Hayley" Jackson explained

"She doesn't want to talk to you" Kol responded instead of her "We made it very clear that no werewolf is to touch her on our land without subjecting himself to severe-"

"Let's talk" Hayley said, keeping her head high. She really was wondering what Jackson had to say "Besides, there is no way Jackson can hurt me, unless he wants to get hurt himself"

Jackson smirked at the remark while Kol looked at her hesitantly.

"It could be a trap" he pointed out

"It is not a trap, I am not that low" Jackson protested

"Let's talk Jackson, but we're to stay on these grounds"

"I'll give you some privacy, I guess" Kol said disapprovingly and walked in

There was a long pause before either of them said anything. Hayley had the guilt of facing the crime of adultery she had committed, while Jackson was ashamed of the way he responded to his wife's actions, when he himself knew so well that he was in the wrong too.

"How are you?" Jackson finally broke the silence

"I don't know Jackson. How would you be if you lost everything you held dear all at once?"

"You didn't lose everything all at once"

"I lost my marriage, my power, my respect, the house"

"You chose to destroy the house"

"Because you chose to use it against me"

There was silence once again. Something told Hayley Kol was secretly listening, but she couldn't be bothered.

"How is the child?"

Hayley hesitated to respond

"I am sorry that you had to suffer through all of this at such a sensitive time"

Hayley was shocked by the sudden change in attitude that her husband was showing. She looked up at him and into his eyes, trying to find out what game he was playing.

"Why are you apologizing now?"

"Because I realized I made a mistake"

"Bullshit"

"Hayley…I hated you so much this morning when I found out about the fire" he began to elaborate "Then I walked into the ruins that used to be our house, and I walked through our memories"

Hayley was looking at him carefully, trying to understand what his next step would be.

"You remember the photo we took outside aunt Gina's place? When was the last time you stopped to look at it?"

"I remember taking that photo" she said as she dazed off "Things were so simple then"

"As I looked back at those days I realized Hayley…it took hating you so much to finally realize how much I actually loved you…you don't hate someone so much unless you actually loved them"

"What is this nonsense?" Hayley snapped "What are you trying to achieve? Our marriage is over. I don't care what the ancestors say"

"I know Hayley, I had no intention of pulling that dead horse through more…I just want to end this feud. I'm going to talk to the werewolves. Remind them you're the Queen. We all needed a reminder"

"You are suddenly okay with me cheating now?" she asked boldly

He took his time and avoided her eyes.

"Let's just say I have my reasons to forgive you"

"And the ancestors? Why don't they punish me? What are they waiting for?"

"I don't know Hayley, but we'll try to avoid it"

She took a deep breath and looked at the man she used to love

"I wish we hadn't come to this" she said as tears filled her lids "I never thought things would end this messed up"

He sighed and nodded. None of them did actually expect things to get this chaotic.

"How does he treat you?" he asked after another pause "Is he kind?"

She pursed her lips and looked away, almost ashamed

"They are all very nice to me, very caring"

"Is he supportive with the baby?"

Her breaths got shorter. She held her forehead with her palm and looked at the ground

"Do you love him?"

That made her head jolt upright and look over at him. Love? He had so openly asked her about love?

"I don't think I feel comfortable talking about it with you"

"I know the answer; your blushed cheeks give it away"

"I don't want to talk about it"

"Well, you two are having a child, there is no point of attempting to get between it. Besides, I know our marriage has no hope, especially given the circumstances"

She smiled to herself, while her heart knew she had no hope of getting Klaus anytime soon, his unexpected support made her feel hopeful.

"Hayley before everything, we were friends"

"We were best friends" she corrected

"Perhaps I should behave more like it"

"If only you behaved more like it throughout our marriage"

"I know, I should have, I am sorry Hayley"

"I'm still surprised you are so different all of a sudden"

"Certain things I had done in that house came back to me" he elaborated "I had to face my errors"

She nodded.

"I will talk to the wolves, I will try to get them to behave more respectfully towards you"

"Thank you"

"Well, I will take my leave of you for now Hayley. I hope things get better from here"

She nodded and stood up, putting her hands in her pocket to make sure an awkward potential hug is avoided. Things may have calmed down, but she still felt pain when she was with him.

Jackson began walking away as Hayley walked back in, unaware of the car of Klaus Mikaelson that approached the house.

"What are you doing here?" he said aggressively as he got out of the car with full speed and confronted the werewolf

"I was simply talking to Hayley"

"Don't" he snapped "I just warned all of your people about the consequences of hurting Hayley or trying to get to her here"

"I have no intention of hurting her. I want peace"

"Bullshit. If you don't care about her at least care about the health and safety of your unborn child"

Jackson stopped and looked at the Mikaelson with shock

"My unborn child?"

"You may not want to raise it or be a part of its life, but at least let her do her best to raise that child with love and compassion"

"You don't know" Jackson said under his breath

"I beg your pardon?"

"I need to go" he said and began rushing away

One thing was to lose Hayley to a man she loved who loved her back. But if he didn't even know the child was his, that meant she couldn't tell him. He still had a chance. If Klaus Mikaelson and Hayley truly had the relationship Jackson had assumed they had he would know about his child. Jackson could fix the error of his ways from the past.

In the meantime, Klaus had gone in the house in search for Hayley. He found her sitted in the living room, her legs curled to her chest, a book in her hand. He approached her, glad to find her alone for the first time in a long time, and sat by her side.

"How are you Hayley?" he asked as she looked up and seemed shocked to see him before her

"I'm good. Did you see anyone outside?"

"I know Jackson was here. Did he bother you?"

"He wanted to make peace"

Klaus raised his eyebrows "Do you want to make peace with him? Make the marriage work?"

"There is no marriage left to fix" she snapped immediately

"I'd understand if you tried to make it work for the sake of your child" he replied

She looked away from him and sighed

"I have no intention of trying to make our romantic relationship work again. I don't love him anymore"

Klaus nodded as a smile he couldn't understand or control formed on his face

"I'm glad you have your mind set. Doubts would only hurt you"

"I just want my kingdom back"

"And you shall get it back Hayley, I assure you"

She smiled at him, her eyes slightly soaked with tears

"Are you crying? I don't think that's good for it"

"By it do you mean my child?" she asked as she wiped her tears

"Well, yes, I guess"

"Are you excited about my pregnancy? If I end up still staying over at your place during birth…"

"I hope we will settle you back as your Queen by then, but if not, I'd be more than glad to be of any assistance. I like children"

Hayley seemed shocked to hear this

"I didn't know you liked children" she stated, still in shock

"I do. Plus, I care about you too, so your child is obviously going to be under my protection"

"You care about me?" she asked for elaboration

"You know I do" he said as he tried to look away from her eyes

"Why are you making it this difficult?" she asked insistently

"I'm not sure I understand" he said as he looked back at her, not aware of how close their lips would be as a result

"That night meant nothing more to you than you say it did?" she asked as she leaned in some more "Nothing?"

He didn't understand his body's reaction to her. His lips were pushing to touch hers, his body was reacting excitedly to her smell, he was throbbing against his jeans, begging him to grab and have her right there.

Suddenly the jingle of keys pushed them apart. Klaus stood up and walked away from her. Caroline walked in and Kol walked down to see who had arrived. They all looked at the duo in the living room, who were clearly acting weird.

"Hey, how is everybody?" Caroline asked as she put her bags down and went up to Klaus for a kiss

He made sure to not push himself against her too much and began chatting his girlfriend up distractingly, an eye still on Hayley.

Hayley smiled right back at him, aware of his biological reaction to her. She knew she still had reason to have hope, and he just confirmed it.

Hey guys! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! I admire the time and effort you guys put into it. Sorry, due to my exams and such I didn't have time to write the chapter consecutively, so a few days in between every part I wrote made the story seem a bit uncorrelated. Hopefully this chapter will be better and make more sense! Please leave a review to help me get better! 3


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